Merrie has been part of Circle Arts Theatre for the past 20 years as a parent, patron, and volunteer. As a former school principal, she brings administrative experience, an appreciation of organized chaos, and a passion for people to the Executive Director role at Circle Arts. Beyond the theatre, Merrie serves on the Board of Directors for Riverside Pride and volunteers with Family Promise, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and her church choir.

Aaron Dyball is a former member of The Inner Circle and has been part of Circle Arts theatre for 10 years. He has been on stage many times, but his favorites roles include Carlo in A Comedy of Tenors, Creature in Frankenstein, and Kenickie in Grease. Aaron also works at Southern Maid making donuts and has shown many times that he is a team player and is always willing to lend a hand. In his free time, he likes to play video games, go to the gym and roller skate.

Jennifer arrived in New Braunfels in summer 2016 after her husband retired from serving 20 years in the Air Force.  The entire family quickly put down roots in their new hometown.  Jen and her two children Hailey and Drew found a home at Circle Arts right away….all three of them appearing on stage in “Inherit the Wind” by that August.  The kids then joined KIDs classes and both later fleeted up to the Inner Circle.  Jen found various ways to volunteer on or around the stage.  By 2017 Jennifer had joined the board of directors, and in 2018 she implemented the KIDs “Giving Circle” to include our youngest actors in the Circle Arts culture of giving back to the community.  Meanwhile, her husband Paul can often be found house-crewing or as videographer in the tech booth.  Jennifer holds a BS in microbiology and an MS in genetics.  Through her current work as a biology professor with Texas Lutheran University, as well as her years of experience in serving and leading others as a military Key Spouse, Jennifer brings a knack for networking, organizing, innovating, facilitating, and having fun!

Linda has been a NB resident for over 30 years. You can currently find her serving as a part time ministry coordinator for Springs Community Church after retiring from managing her husband’s dental practice.

She has been involved in some capacity of NB community theatre since 2004. Linda has served on many local non-profit boards including NB Education Foundation, Comal County Child Welfare Board and NB Band Boosters. Her favorite theatre memory is when she directed Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream-coat with many family members in the cast. Linda loves to cook, entertain and ride her bicycle all around New Braunfels. She is trying to become an avid gardener but her thumb isn’t quite green yet!

Lisa has lived in New Braunfels since 1999 and has been active in the community ever since, volunteering with parenting groups, PTA, Friends of NBISD P.A.C., and the Comal County Child Welfare Board. Her whole family has performed on Circle Arts’ stage at some point, and you may have even seen them onstage together from time to time! Now that she’s retired from her careers as a professional photographer and real estate transaction coordinator, you’ll find her traveling with her husband and visiting her children at college.

Marcie Helmke is a New Braunfels native. She has been supporting Circle Arts Theatre as a volunteer since 1988 and is currently serving as VP of Business Management.

In 1972 Steve Burney performed in the fourth season of Community Actors Theatre, later to be become Circle Arts Theatre, in the role of Hero in “A Funny Thing Happened On the Way To the Forum.” After graduating from New Braunfels High School in 1973, he went to New York City to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He pursued the life of an actor for several years, performing in regional theatres and appearing on Broadway in 1980 in “Fearless Frank”. After relocating to Seattle, Washington and starting a family, he worked at the Mayflower Park Hotel from 1987 until 2004, first as a bartender and later on as a lounge and restaurant manager. He opened a barbecue restaurant, Burney Brothers BBQ, and operated it from 2004 to 2020, growing it to three locations and adding a separate cafe, Burney’s Wine Corner. He wrote a book called Purty Dang Good about the experience of opening the restaurant and published it in 2021. In that same year, he and his wife relocated to Texas to retire, settling in Bulverde. Since returning to the area he grew up in, he has performed steadily in plays and musicals at Boerne Community Theatre, Bulverde Stage, Fredericksburg Theatre Company, and Wonder Theatre of San Antonio. At Circle Arts he was in “Clue, The Stage Play” and “All Shook Up” in 2022, a full fifty years later from when he had done his first role away from high school on the very same stage. It is an honor to serve Circle Arts Theatre and support this historic treasure of the community.

Noah is a central/south Texas native, and moved to New Braunfels in 2019. He worked
as a barista for over 8 years after high school, before starting his own coffee business,
Tarnation Espresso, because he loves the connections and community that can be built
around coffee.
He has always loved theatre, but never put himself out there to audition until after
graduating high school. It was in 2019 where he auditioned for the first time ever at
Circle Arts for the Wurstfest Melodrama and never looked back! He immediately found a
second home here and knew he wanted to be a part of this theatre in any aspect
possible. Since his first show in 2019, he has been involved in about 25 productions
here (and a few more at other community theatres), be it as an actor, techie, stage
manager, or director, and volunteers as house crew any time he can. Outside the
theatre, he enjoys horror movies, all-you-can eat sushi with friends, and making/drinking
espresso martinis! He’s proud to bring a new generation’s perspective to the board and
to help grow Circle Arts’ legacy into the future.

With more than 25 years in corporate leadership, James Cox co-founded and grew a
New Braunfels-based national training and professional development company that was
later acquired by a private equity firm. He remained with the organization to lead its
global sales team before starting his own consulting practice, where he helps small
business owners build structure and strategy for sustainable growth. A lifelong fan of the
arts, James’s passion for theatre deepened as his son Connor began performing at
Circle Arts Theatre in 2020. He lives in New Braunfels with his wife, Stephanie, and
their son.